Media captionThe database will digitise most Burns papers held in Scotland

An 18-month project is being launched to produce the first ever extensive database of Robert Burns manuscripts.

The repository will be produced by Glasgow University in collaboration with the National Burns Collection.

It will see all Burns papers held in Scotland examined, digitised and stored at the university's Centre for Robert Burns Studies.

The plan is then to widen the collection to include material from archives outside Scotland.

The database will be use by partners of BurnsScotland, the new name for the National Burns Collection.

'Significant development'

It will include images with paper sizes, watermarks and other descriptive features recorded.

Professor Gerard Carruthers, of Glasgow University, said: "This is a hugely significant development which will greatly benefit those who study the writings of Robert Burns.

"The man, as we know, was a voracious author who penned more than 600 poems and songs.

"This database will not only allow for quick and easy access to the materials but it will also enable us to identify and put back together papers that have become separated, and even allow us to show examples of genuine Burns works and Burns forgeries."

BurnsScotland is a partnership agreement between the university, the National Library of Scotland, the National Galleries of Scotland, Glasgow Life, the National Museums of Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Museums, East Ayrshire Museums and South Ayrshire Museums.